Education USA: How studying in USA gives you an edge

Education USA: - With over 1,350,000 international students, the USA boasts of an eclectic mix of students who head to the country in pursuit of a dream- the American dream. An education in USA bolsters not just your dream but also offers a brand new experience of life. What more? No matter which field you are in, USA always gives you an edge by offering the best in quality, variety and flexibility. Do you know that Time Higher Education Ranking places 7 US institutes among the top ten universities in the world? With Caltech, MIT, Harvard, Columbia all in one country, the USA spoils you for choice!

That is one of the reasons why so many international students rush for an education in the USA every year, most of whom are enrolled as F and M visa holders. F and M visas are two non-immigrant visa categories for aspirants who want to study in the U S. The F visa is for non-immigrants wishing to pursue academic studies and language training programs, and the M visa is for non-immigrants wishing to pursue non-academic or vocational studies.

So, what are you waiting for? Find here the reasons why should get set and fly to the USA- the best place to study in the world!

1. Variety of options:

With over 4000 universities, the USA is the hotspot for education. Name any course, specialization or professional degree, USA, with its wide range of colleges is bound to have an institute tailor made for you. Not just that, education in the USA is varied in terms of selectivity; geography; as well as public and private. It is not just the ivy leagues, which make it such a favorable destination. The USA is home to many respected institutions, which can guide a student in achieving his/ her dream. With so many options, you will never be left without a choice. The US universities are there to show you the unconventional way of pursuing your dream. If African music is your call, you can join Berklee College of Music, or pursue Jazz studies in the North Texas University.

What’s more, name any interest and US universities will have a course ready for you. The Mississippi State University offers a course in floral management and if Las Vegas is your dream, the University of Nevada offers a course in Entertainment engineering and design.

2. Quality of Institutions:

One of the major factors that puts American universities a cut above the rest is the standard of education they ensure. The Times Higher Education Ranking, 2013-14, places 7 US institutions in the top ten colleges of the world with California Institute of Technology (Caltech) capturing the top slot.

In terms of reputation, too, it is the US universities, which shine the most. In Time’s 2013-14 ranking, US universities took 8 slots in the world’s top ten most reputed universities with Harvard University retaining the top slot. US universitieshave also produced some of the best-known personalities in every field. Do you know that Barack Obama, the former president of the United States of America, carries degrees from both Columbia and Harvard University? Noted actor and Oscar winner, Meryl Streep is from Yale University.

The list does not end here. Many noted Nobel Prize winners have pursued courses and even conducted their research at American universities.

This reflects the credibility of American universities; the standard the institutes adhere to and the holistic knowledge they impart to students.

3. Enjoy flexibility in your options:

The US education system is far more flexible than in most other countries. The US education system offers flexibility in courses that are offered, which enables you to select your choice of subject from a variety of topics. Such flexibility also gives you time to gain clarity on your dream career.

So, what if you are undecided on your major subject. Many American universities let you take classes in a variety of subjects in the first 1-2 years before you decide on your major.

Since some courses are offered more than once during the academic year, you have the flexibility to choose a class any time. The quarterly or semester system gives you a flexibility to complete your academic program at your own pace and take additional time on a research project, if required.

4. Funding opportunities:

Education in US universities can be very costly, especially, the one’s with credibility. And, on top of that the tuition costs in US increases 6-10% every year. However, there is a huge scope for funding for any international student. US universities provide a multitude of scholarshipsand other funding options for students. Some of the options are:

a. Scholarships or fellowships from US universities: Most US universities provide scholarships to international students. For example: Harvard University through its Admissions and Financial Aid Department provides aid to international students. Although Harvard is an ivy League institution, 70% of its students receive some form of financial aid. The families of at least 20% students pay nothing. And if you have enrolled in Stanford, there are many internal merit and need based scholarships to assist you. Some US universities also provide tailor made aid to deserving and smart students.

b. Scholarships from other benefactors: Besides the universities, students can avail financial aid from other equally beneficial sources. There are many foundations, which assist meritorious students to pursue their dreams of studying in good universities in the US. One such example is the Aga Khan Foundation. The Foundation provides scholarships each year for postgraduate studies to outstanding students who have no other means of financing their studies. If you belong to the fairer sex, why not consider the AAUW, which is one of the world’s largest sources of funding for graduate women. AAUW provides International Fellowships to support women scholars who wish to pursue graduate or postgraduate studies at accredited U.S. institutions.

c. External agencies: External funding bodies may include professional, charitable or government organisations.There are many funding agencies like the Global Student Loan Corporation, the International Student Loan, which help students to arrange finance for education in the US. Of course, you can approach lending banks in your home country which provide education loans to study abroad. Most students might not receive financial aid at the time of admission but they might become eligible after the first semester or the first year, depending on their academic performance. The expectation of a financial benefit also fuels the student’s desire to perform better.

5. Experience American Campus life:

American colleges are famous not only for the quality of education they provide but also for their exciting college life. While academics will take up most your time, US campuses provide an environment inclusive of vibrant demography, culture, and students following diversified schools of thought. One of the important lessons that an American campus life will teach you is independence and self-expression. It would be next to impossible to not be involved in the exciting activities that form part of the American campus life.

If you are interested in sports, then most US university campuses have active sports systems to interest students.

Many universities also host several fests within the campus, which allow the students to express their creative sides. For example, Harvard has its Arts Firsts Fest, Techfest to boast. Then there is Cultural Rhythms-a cultural festival that celebrates Harvard's rich cultural and ethnic diversity by showcasing student performances and ethno-cultural cuisine from over 30 student organizations.

Not just Harvard, Columbia University, too, has its own Columbia University Film Festival; Boston has Redstone film festival.

If you are interested in poetry, Princeton has a Princeton Poetry festival. And, if you wish to tango, Princeton has a Tango club too!

6. Scope for research

Along with a variety in options, American universities provide the students with a wide scope for research on their subject of interest. One of the positive points of studying in America is that the country invests a lot in Research and Development. USA holds the record on spending the most in Research and Development. According to an OECD report in 2012, USA spent 2.792% of its GDP in R&D. It is because of this initiatives that the US walks away with most of the international awards in any field and also records one of the highest registrations for patents in the world. Harvard University, for instance, has more than 100 research centres and is supported by more than $750 million of sponsored research funds each year. In John Hopkins University, one of the popular research conducting universities in the US, has a team of professionals consisting of faculty members, research assistants, administrators and students. Also, the spectrum of research explores issues ranging from religious practices in ancient Egypt to the cutting edge of genetic medicine.

Raja, we have been discussing your career and aspirations for a while now and we appreciate that you want to take Career360's opinion on the matter of your career. So by now, you are aware of the fact what it takes to become a neurosurgeon and what it is to clear USMLE, practise as a resident in the US. We also have discussed the life style and the salary part. Now regarding the first half and later half of the career, we only wish we could predict our timeline on this planet. We do not which might be the first half or which might be the later part. But no wish is bad. If you want to achieve something, you should lest you regret for the rest of your lofe. Now to practise in the US, you may have to appear for USMLE, clear the step 1 and then practise as a resident before you can get the license to practise as a full time neurosurgeon. That is a long process that might take good 4-5 years. You study MBBS in India for 50 months and then complete the 1 year rotational internship and it takes you as many as 5 years. And appearing for USMLE and then working as a resident take another 4 years and so 10 years of your life are spent getting a valid license to practise in the US. And then lets say after 5 years you want to move to Singapore, that takes a whole different processing because you need to appear for their license exam. And you work in Singapore for lets say another 5 years and you come back to India. 15 years of your life are spent studying and getting licenses. But the beauty is within 15 years you can actually get license to practise in 3 countries. So you need to take a call. Or how about you finish MBBS in India, move to Singapore to study your MD/MS and plan on moving to the US? That way the transition is going to be smoother.

Hey vasu,
The age limit which almost every University demands is 35 years. If anybody is above that they can might miss the chance to get enroll theirselves for phd.
This age is decided because phd is all about researching and writing ,they usually demand people who is also iinvolved in academics and departmental works.
Good luck!

Well I guess they are because they get very good six figure salary and have a great job security although it's stressing but still they like their job cause they got into it knowing the stress it may carry. Neurosurgery is very much in demand and is a very great speciality in medical field.

It will all depend upon the lifestyle and the office hours you put in the work. The number of opd days, OT days and the visit to the wards for rounds. It all affect the free time period for a doctor. In USA,you have to pay tax for the services thus it can be little less than what you make in india